It is often desirable for plastic parts, such as blow molded plastic parts, to be attached to another part by conventional screws, bolts or some other similar threaded member (collectively referred to herein as “threaded fasteners”). The plastic part may be attached to a part made of metal, wood, or another material.
Because of the properties of the plastic part, and the diameter and thread size of conventional threaded fasteners, satisfactory threaded engagement directly with the plastic part may not be achievable. The threaded fastener may strip an opening formed directly in the plastic part. Metal inserts are commonly used to remedy this problem. The insert is inserted into an opening created in the plastic part, and the conventional threaded fastener threads into a threaded female opening in the insert.
While the conventional inserts may provide benefits over using no inserts at all, they still suffer from several disadvantages. One of such disadvantages is that, during insertion of the insert into the hole in the plastic part, it is relatively easy to over-rotate the insert with respect to the plastic part, thereby stripping the female threads in the opening in the plastic part. Consequently, the attachment of a second part to the plastic part may not be satisfactory.